Any Sheriff who shall do any act contrary to the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor in office, and, Penalty. upon conviction thereof, shall be removed from office, and be imprisoned for not less than three months, and be fined not less than three hundred dollars. Any citizen may prosecute any person violating the provisions of this section.

DRAWING OF JURIES FOR TRIAL OF CONTESTED ELECTIONS.

113. [SEC. 1426.] If the term at which the trial is to be proceeded with is not a regular jury term, the Clerk, Sheriff and the officer vested with the power of recording mortgages of the parish, or a majority of them, shall, within three days after the contestant and voters caused their petition to be filed, determine who are to be summoned as jurors for contested elections at the next special or regular term of the court, by placing in a box and mixing together the names of one hundred voters of the parish, from which the names of fifty shall be drawn by the Sheriff, and registered as drawn by the Clerk and Recorder; which fifty so drawn shall form a panel for the trial of contested elections, and if a jury can not be formed from the fifty thus summoned, talesmen shall be summoned by the Sheriff to make up a jury.

1855-408.
Jury, by whom

and how drawn
for special
terms for trial

of contested

elections.

of the Sheriff,

corder, vacan

cies, how filled.

114. [SEC. 1427.] If either the Clerk, Sheriff, or other officer, vested with the power of recording mortgages, be absent at the In the absence time fixed on to proceed either to selecting or drawing the jurors, Clerk or Reor be the person contesting the election, the one or two who attend for the purpose shall elect some other person or persons to perform the duties imposed on such person or persons, as the case may be, with whose assistance the selecting and drawing shall be proceeded with as though all the officers named in the preceding section had been present, aiding and assisting in the same.

115. [SEC. 1428.] In selecting the names of the one hundred voters to be placed in the box, it shall be the duty of those selecting Jury, how the same to select such persons residing in such parts of the parish selected. as will enable them most conveniently to attend the court.

SLANDER AND LIBEL.

NO.

The truth may be plead in justifica- Attorneys liable for slanderous

tion in an action for slander or libel 1

In prosecutions for libel the truth

words....

may be given in evidence........ 2 Penalty....

NO.

3

4

1855-394.

CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION.

ART. 4. The press shall be free; every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of this liberty.

1. [SEC. 3640.] Whenever any civil suit for slander, defamation, or for a libel, shall be instituted in any court of this State, it The truth may shall be lawful for the defendant to plead in justification the truth

be plead in

justification

in an action for slander or libel.

In prosecu

of the slanderous, defamatory or libelous words or matter, for the uttering or publishing of which he may be sued; and in the trial of the issue in such suit, to maintain and prove his said plea by all legal evidence.

2. [SEC. 3641.] In all prosecutions for libel, the truth may be given in evidence; and if it shall appear that the matter charged, as tions for libel, libelous, is and was published with good motives and for justifiable ends, the party shall be acquitted.

the truth may be given in evidence.

1855-121.

3. [SEC. 3642.] No client or other person shall be held liable or responsible for any slanderous or libelous words uttered by his Attorneys lia- attorney at law, but attorneys shall be themselves liable and responsible for any slanderous or libelous words uttered by them.

ble for slander

ous words.

1855-130.

Penalty.

4. [SEC. 3643.] Whoever shall maliciously defame any person by making, writing, publishing, or causing to be published, any manner of libel, shall, on conviction thereof, suffer fine and imprisonment, or both, at the discretion of the court.

STATISTICS.

1869-106.

Statistics to be published.

1. [SEC. 3644.] It shall be the duty of the Commissioners of Immigration to collect and have published, in English, French and German, and such other languages as they may think proper, statistical information setting forth the aims of the commission, and

to make con

the advantages of soil, climate and productions which Louisiana presents to the enterprising immigrant; to assist any and all immigrants from foreign countries who may desire to settle in Louisiana, by giving counsel and information in making contracts Commissioners for public means of transportation, to bring to New Orleans, at the tracts, etc. lowest rates of passage possible, such immigrants as may elect to come to said port, and to make arrangements with steamboats, railroads and other public means of transportation to convey immigrants who may elect to settle in Louisiana, to their place of destination, in a comfortable manner and at the least expense possible; to use every effort to inform, advise and assist immigrants; to visit and examine all vessels landing at the port of New Orleans which have immigrants on board, and to make a register of such Register of immigrants. immigrants, showing names, ages, places of birth, sex, profession, trade, destination, which register shall be filed in their office; to make a report annually to the General Assembly of the State of the Annual report. number of immigrants who have arrived, with a tabular statement, showing ages, places of birth, sex, trade, profession and destination of all immigrants who may have arrived during the year at the port of New Orleans, together with such information and recommendations as in their opinion may promote immigration to the State of Louisiana, together with a full statement of the expenses and operation of the commission; provided, nothing in this section shall be so construed as to make the State liable for the passage money of any immigrant coming into this State or going into the interior.

cation of sta

eral informa

2. [SEC. 3645.] It shall be the duty of the Commissioners of Immigration to cause the preparation of a map of the State, show- Annual publiing the usual features of a geographical map, geological formations, tistics for genisothermal lines and zones of the leading staples and most important tion. agricultural products; they shall annually collect and annually publish a volume of such statistics of the agricultural, mineral and geological products, commerce, climatology, health, schools, charitable institutions, railroads, canals, finances, social relations, crimes, etc., of this State, as they, the said Commissioners, may deem best suited to inform the people of this and other States of the resources of Louisiana and contribute thereby to the growth and prosperity of the State.

of an engineer

3. [SEC. 3646.] The Governor is hereby authorized to appoint a special engineer, whose duty it shall be, under his direction, to 1868-226. compile a geographical, historical and statistical map of the State; Appointment said map not to be less than five feet by three feet in size, to contain to compile a such information as the Governor in his judgment may direct, and before publication to receive his sanction and autographic approval.

map.

Terms of compensation.

Engineer to possess copy right.

4. [SEC. 3647.] The special engineer thus created shall receive no regular salary or compensation for his services, but shall be bound by the terms hereinafter to be made as a part of the provisions of this act.

5. [SEC. 3648.] The copyright of said map shall be vested in the especial engineer, and he shall receive from the State, on the completion of the work, the sum of twenty dollars per copy for each map to be furnished as per schedule to follow, and for the purpose of aiding in the expenses of engraving and publication. But the said engineer shall be required to enter into good and acceptable bond and security, in the full sum received, for the delivery, to the State, without further compensation than that which is herin before and hereinafter provided and for the use and benefit of the State, of such number of the copies of said map as will carry out the following schedule for distribution, viz: the Secretary of State, to whom the maps will be delivered, shall cause three copies to be furnished to each parish in the State, to become the property of said parish, and for the use, respectively, in such offices as the parish authorities copies ordered may direct; also shall furnish one hundred copies to the Superintendent of Public Education, to be distributed to the different public schools throughout the State, as the Superintendent may order and direct. He shall also supply the different State offices at the capital each with a copy, and shall be furnished such additional copies as will enable the Governor to exchange for maps of the other States and Territories of the United States, and maps so received in exchange shall become a part of the property of the State Library.

Number of

by the State

and compensation therefor.

Assistance

from parish officers.

Manner of payment.

6. [SEC. 3649.] It shall be the duty of the different parish officers throughout the State to afford said engineer every facility for obtaining such information as he may require in compilation of said work.

7. [SEC. 3650.] On the completion of the work, the Governor shall authorize the Auditor to issue his warrant for the sum to be received under the provisions of this act.

case of acci

1. [SEC. 3651.] [In case of] any accident, except such as is impossible to be forseen or avoided, that may happen to any steamboat 1855–468. from racing, carrying higher steam than may be allowed by law, Penalties in running into or afoul of another boat, or that may occur whilst the dents. captain, pilot, or engineer is engaged in gambling or attending any game of chance or hazard, or whenever an accident happens from the boat being overloaded, the owner of the boat shall be responsible for all loss or damage, and shall be barred from the recovery of freight or insurance; and the officer, violating the provisions of this section, shall be subject to a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than two thousand dollars, and imprisonment for not less than three months, nor more than three years; and in the event of loss of life being the result of such accident, then said officers shall be adjudged guilty of manslaughter.

2. [SEC. 3652.] When gunpowder is shipped on board of a steamboat, it shall be stored away at as great a distance as possible Formalities refrom the furnace, and a written notification of the fact shall be quired when gunpowder is placed in three conspicuous parts of the boat; and in the event of received on board. such notification not being so exhibited, then for any loss of property or life for which the powder may be deemed the cause, the owner and captain shall be liable to the penalty provided in the preceding section.

3. [SEC. 3653.] Any person who shall ship or put on board, or cause to be shipped or put on board of any steamboat, within this State, any gunpowder, without giving notice thereof, at the time of out notice.

Penalty for shipping gunpowder with